Rail-joint.



No. 632,300. Patented Sept. 5, |899.

J. C. WIGGINS.

RAIL JOINT.

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Nirnn STATES:

.IOSIAII CHOICE WIGGINS,

OF EUPORA, MISSISSIPPI.A

RAIL-JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 632,300, dated September 5, 1899.

Application iiled April 24,1 899.

To'aZZ whom it ma concern.-

Be it known that JosIAH CHOICE WIG- GINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Eupora, in the county of Webster and State of Mississippi, have invented a new and useful Rail-Joint, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to rail-joints of that class embodying opposite fish-plates and nutless bolts connecting the iish-plates through the web of the rails, and is especially designed to improve the construction shown in my former patent, No. 613,100, dated October 25, 1898.

The object of the invention is to provide clamps forming additional connecting means between the fish-plates, and a strengthening bar or plate adapted to prevent sagging of the contiguous ends of adjacent rail-sections.

To these ends the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described,shown in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a rail-joint equipped with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken in the plane of the connecting- Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken through one of the bolts. Fig.4is a detail perspective view of one of the connecting-bolts. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of one of the clamps. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the strengthening bar or plate. A y

Corresponding parts are designated by like reference characters in all the figures of the drawings.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 and 2 designate, respectively, the adjacent ends of opposite rail-sections, which are connected by means of opposite fish-plates 3 and 4, respectively. The outer longitudinal edge of each of the fish-plates is provided with suitable notches 5 to receive the track-fastenings, whereby the sh-'plates may be connected to the ties of the road-bed,and the lower face of the iiange of each fish-plate is provided with a longitudinal shoulder 6, adapted to iit against the adjacent edge of the flanges of the rail-sections.

By reference to Fig. 3 of the drawings it Serial No. 714.194. (Normodel.)

win ne noted that the fish-pmu@ s nts Snugiy substantially L-shape form in cross-section. l

Another groove 9 is provided in the lower outer edge of the bar, being of substantially L.v shape in cross-section and considerably wider than the former groove S and having its vertical wall 10 concaved. In assembling these parts together the inner fish-plate 3 is first placed in position against the inner side of the rails, and then the strengthening-bar 7 is fitted to the opposite side of the rails, having its lower portion 11 seated upon the flange of the rails and fitting snugly between the same and the under side of the treads thereof, the latter being seated in the upper longitudinal groove S. After the inner fish-plate and the strengthening-bar have been positioned the outer fish-plate 4 is fitted into the lower groove 9 of the strengthening-bar. By reference to Fig. 3 it will be noted that the outer fish-plate 4 is provided with a longitudinal rib 12, which iits under the lower outer edge 1 of the strengthening-bar, and by reason of the fish-plate fitting the concaved wall of the groove 9 the bar and the said fish-plate are effectually interlocked together.l V

To connect the fish-plates and the strengthv ening-bar to the rail-sections, the several parts are provided with transversely-alined bolt-openings adaptedy to receive the fastening-bolts 13, one of which is illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings. By reference to this latter figure it will be noted that the bolt is provided with a head 14, having the inner shouldered end 15 inclined. Near the opposite end of the bolt and at diametrically opposite sides are provided the opposite notches 16, which form a reduced flattened neck 17. The outer shoulders 1,8, formed by the notches 16, areinclined transversely of the bolt for a purpose hereinafter more fully described. At a point intermediate of the head Vof the bolt and the neck 17 the bolt is reduced in thickness, as at 19. After the innersh-plate IOO 3 and the strengthening-bar 7 have been positioned as hereinbefore described the bolts arepassed through the respective bolt-openings with the necks 17 in a vertical position.

. By reference to Figs. 2 and 3 it will be noted that the reduced portions 19 of the several bolts are received within the bolt-openings of the rail-sections, and being smaller in diameter than said openings the rails are permitted to have a longitudinal movement to provide for the contraction and expansion of the rails. The opposite fish-plate 4, which is provided with vertical slots or notches 20, is then fitted into the lower outer groove 9 of the strengthening-bar, and the necks 17 of the bolts are received into the respective slots or notches 20.

To facilitate the positioning of the shplate, the rail-sections are raised slightly above the road-bed, and after the fish-plate has been positioned the rails are permitted to assume their normal positions. It will now be apparent that the head of each bolt is provided with an inclined face to fit the fishplate 3 and that the shoulders 1S are also inclined to flt the fish-plate 4. `When the bolts have been thus placed in position, the shoulders 18 thereof engage against the outer face of the outer fish-plate 4:, firmly connecting the several parts of the rail-joint together and preventing a longitudinal displacement of the bolt-s, as the latter cannot be accidentally lifted out of the slots 2O to disengage the shoulders 18 from the outer fish-plate.

In order that the fish-plates may be more firmly joined together and also to relieve the bolts of some of the strain thereon, I have provided clamps 21 for the adjacent ends of the abutting rail-sections. As illustrated in Fig. 5, each clamp comprises a straight flat body having upstanding shoulders 22, provided at opposite ends of the clamp and extending transversely across the same and having suitable openings 23 extending through the shoulders longitudinally of the clamp. The length of the clamp between its opposite shoulders is equal to the distance between the outer edges of the opposite fish-plates. The clamps are applied to the joints when the rail-sections have been elevated to facilitate the positioning of the outer fish-plate 4, so that when the rail-sections resume their normal positions the flanges of the rails and the opposite fish-plates will be seated upon the clamps and embraced between the opposite shoulders thereof. In order thatV the The under side of each of these keys is preferably beveled to facilitate the driving of the keys, and one of the sides or members thereof is bent transversely of the openings in the shoulders, as shown, to prevent a longitudinal displacement of the key. It Will be understood that instead of employing U-shaped keys individual-headed keys may be used, as desired. The essential purpose of these clamps is to connect the opposite fishplates positively together and prevent a possible separation of the same, which would result in a displacement of the bolts and the consequent breakage of the joint between the rail-sections.

Changes in the form, proportion, size, and the minor details of construction, within the scope of the appended claims, maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

What I claim isl. In a railjoint, the combination with abutting sections, opposite fish-plates, and bolts connecting the same, of a clamp having opposite shoulders provided with openings extending longitudinally of the clamp, and keys adapted to be inserted through the openings and engage over the flanges of the respective iish-plates, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a rail joint, the combination with abutting rail-sections, opposite {ish-plates, and bolts connecting the same, of a strengthening bar or plate interposed between one of the sh-plates and the rail-sections, said bar or plate having a longitudinal groove provided in its upper inner edge and adapted to receive the tread of the rails, and a longitudinal groove formed in the lower outer edge of the bar and adapted to receive the adjacent fish-plate, and clamps embracing the outer edges of the fish-plates, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a rail joint, the combination with abutting rail-sections, of opposite {ish-plates, one of the plates being provided with vertical slots opening out through the top edge of the plate, connecting-bolts having reduced necks, the latter being adapted to fit in the slots oi' one of the fish-plates, and a strengtheningbar interposed between the slotted fish-plate and the rail-sections overlapping the upper edge of the slotted fish-plate and closing the slots thereof, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto axed mysignature in the presence of two witnesses.

.IOSIAI-I CHOICE VIGGINS.

lVitnesses:

XV. A. IIAYs, lli. RICHARD Sinin IOO 

